Going to Hawaii

Hi B. (my sister's name is B.)! I am so excited about your trip. My husband and I love Maui and have been there about 12 times. We took our son Caleb to Maui when he was about 10 months old too. Unfortunately there was not a Costco on Maui at the time but there is now. It is by the airport. So that should give you some relief that whatever you forget, you can pick-up. We did not spend much time at the beach when we went just because of the sand issue; in the mouth, in the eyes etc. When we did go to the beach my husband held Caleb and we just bopped up and down with the waves. We mostly spent our time at the pool at the Ritz Carlton where were were staying 1/2 the time and then at the condo pool for the other 1/2. I would make sure you definitely get him a sun hat and try to find a sunsuit with a built in SPF factor that covers his chest and shoulders, and pants (look like lycra pants). I used waterbabies sunscreen since their skin is so sensitive. If you don't have a sun umbrella I would look at picking one up at Costco. It will be great for the pool and the beach. I would also make sure you have the little circular baby boat. The one where their feet dangle out of. This was a life saver for us. We pushed him around the pool and he loved!!! it!!! I stayed in the shade around the pool most exclusively. And I have the fondest memories of taking naps with Caleb under a cabana around poolside. We also enjoyed eating pineapple together. About the flight.... our doctor recommended trying a dose of Benadryl before your actual trip, sometimes Benadryl can have the opposite effect on them instead of making them sleepy. So if it makes him sleepy I would give him a dose before getting on the plane. I would also make sure he has something to drink in a bottle (?milk, I think you now have to buy after you get through security) for take-off and landings to help his ears. I hope that helps. I pray you will have an awesome trip; you certainly deserve it for all that you do for your mom, working full-time and volunteer time. Don't hesitate to email me if you have any other questions. ____@____.com. Warmly, J.

If you don't mind.. I would love to hear how it went. We will be going to Maui in November, when our daughter will be 10 mos.... I would suggest getting those SPF45 sun shirts and a hat with a good sized brim. Good luck!

How fun for you guys! I'm sure you all will have a wondeful time. A word or two of advice from me, a beach mom, would be a clarification of what another poster said...sunscreen will NOT protect against heat rash. It definately will protect from sunburn, but the only way to protect from a heat rash is to keep your son cool and dry. In Hawaii that might be a challenge, so light-colored cotton shirts and pants/shorts will wick away moisture from his body, and a nice hat will protect his head and eyes from the sun in and out of the water. These will go a long way for his comfort. I also suggest using WaterBabies sunscreen vs Bullfrog. When I taugh outdoor summer swim lessons, I used Bullfrog for myself...it's a great product for adults but a little h*** o* baby skin. Waterbabies has a wonderful product that lasts for hours and it goes on blue and turns colorless so you can tell where you initially put it. As far as the airplane...good luck! :) It's never easy taking kids on the plane, especially younger ones who want to crawl and walk and explore. When allowed, I suggest getting up and letting him walk with you holding onto his hands down the aisle for a little stretch and exercise. Have fun! Oh, and don't be surprised if your little guy decides that the sand looks good enough to eat! :)

1.You need at least a sunscreen of 45 or more. Bullfrog makes the best.

2. You need to get a 'floaty' for your son. What I mean is a big duckie for your son to float in while he is in the pool. You can find one of these at a dollar store or a better quality one at Toys 'R Us. OR, just look up one online. You can get your best rate on one if you just let your fingers do the walking on the internet! This is going to be the best form of entertainment for him in the water and believe me, he is going to love the water!!!

3. Be prepared on the plane. Think of all of the toys your son will enjoy and ration them out.

4. USE SUNSCREEN. I know I already covered this point, but if you are not persistent your son will contract a heat rash.

5. Constantly feed and hydrate your little man.

6. Keep him warm/cool at night, but keep it dark. This will enable him to get a good night's sleep.

DON'T WORRY. Between your mother-in-law and you, you are going to have plenty of knowledge. You are well-covered! Be encouraged!!

We took our son to river in Snohomish county that had a really nice sandy beach when he was 10 months old and he absolutly loved it. The best thing that I can tell you is have someone with him side by side at all time because he is most likely gonna try and eat the sand. My son kept trying to eat it over and over again but overall, he loved being there and he slept really good at the end of the day.

Have a great trip!!

Hi, B.. Well, it looks to me that you have soo much advise, I think you will have a FUN FUN time. Keep the sunscreen handy, floaty, hat or umbrella. If you need anything suggestions on good sunscreen, after-sun gel or anything else, please don't hestitate to email me. I live in Yelm and it's not very far from here. Have a Great Time and yes, please let us know how your trip went. www.marykay.com/shollins

Do remember the sun blocker. You may want to get a tube that he can sit in, they keep them mostly above the water except the butt and legs. He may like that if he is apprehensive. If you relax and are having fun with him in the water, he is going to be more comfortable. Kids feel vibes. Just be safe, and enjoy the play time. As far as remembering everything to pack. Make a list at a calm time when you can think. Start packing and check each off the list. Also maybe to ease your mind that he is not going to get away from you, there are harnesses. I don't know if you feel axious about that but it does work, if you feel a must. I had to do that with my little guy when he was walking as to not have to carry him and he could feel freedom, but I couldn't loose him. He wouldn't sit in a cart and I always had the fear of him falling out.

We went to the Caribbean when our son was 6-months-old. Here's some of the stuff we packed: Benadryl, juice, water, books, & toys for the plane. Life jacket, floaty (mom and me combo), sunscreen, swimming hat with tie on bottom, rash guard swim top, separate baby blow-up pool (handy when you're not in the water with him), water toys, sand toys, sunglasses w/ velcro strap (Target), re-usable swim diaper/swim suit combo (way handier then the disposables), camel pak for carrying water (he loved sucking on the long straw and drenching himself in the water to keep cool), water mocassins if walking, backpack carrier/stroller combo. Then your obvious day-to-day items, medications, emergency/medical info just in case. And don't forget the birth certificate if he's a lap child! Have a great time!

i would just make sure to bring lots of sun screen and bug repelent. If he has thin hair, make sure to put it on his head too. I wouldnt worry too much about the water, just remember, with the ocean, the further out you go, the colder it gets, and you don't even have to go far, twenty feet out could be considerably colder then the shore.bring buckets and make sand castles, that's got to be one of the best things for a kid to do at the beach. anyway, don't stress too much about what you might forget, just have fun!

For the plane, pack SEVERAL sets of backup clothes and purchase the highest quality diapers you've had good luck with for your son. We flew with my son when he was little and somehow had several blowouts while traveling on the plane, even with our favorite diapers! Wish we had packed more than one back-up outfit! Also, be sure to have something for him to suck on during take-off and landing to help with the pressure on his little ears. Nursing, offering a bottle, or giving a pacifier are good ideas. As far as going to the beach, a cover-up shirt is a good idea, as is a hat and good baby sunscreen. Another little hint...swim diapers are great for swimming, but they only catch solids. Any urination will leak right out the sides, so don't rely on swim diapers when going to the ice cream shop, etc. Anyway, HAVE FUN and your baby will, too! :)

Also, don't forget about the liquid restrictions they have on airport security now! I flew recently with my 21mo old and had a sippy cup with apple juice and one with water so I was prepared. They let me take the one with the juice, but they were going to toss my one with water or make me go back out of security to dump it out. Luckily one of the nice security people just dumped the water into a garbage they had there and let me go through. Then I just refilled it at a water fountain near my gate.

And in addition to toys for the plane ride, bring TONS of any snacks that your son might like. Snacking here and there on our plane ride helped keep my son in his chair when the toys wouldn't.

Good luck and have a BLAST in Maui!!

Hi B.,

I'm from Hawaii, so I have a little experience at the beach. There's the obvious, sunscreen, preferably waterproof and a high spf. Some source of shade, umbrella or stroller with one, or a tree if you're lucky. Beach blanket, water, beach toys, and some sort of flotation device for the water. You've probably heard this before, but if you're in the water, keep your eye on the shore so you don't drift out too far. Hope this helps, and I hope you enjoy your stay in Hawaii. Aloha.